Tag: Turns

We did this set using StrechCordz as assistance to generate faster-than-race speeds into turns and finishes.

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In my opinion, spending time “working on turns” is wasteful when it just involves starting from mid-pool and “doing turns.” I prefer to do something more like the following set, intended for one of our freestylers who has been having a difficult time with getting the approach to the wall right.

9 x 100 @ 3:00 from dive#1-3 80% effort (no higher) with maximum focus on approaching/attacking the wall, getting an excellent pushoff and streamline#4-6 same as 1-3 but at 90% effort (only if #1-3 were completed satisfactorily)#7-9 100 % effort, same level of excellence expected on turns. If #4-6 were not done well, these last three are still done at 90%

This set is designed to work on the weaker of a swimmer’s two strokes that make up the middle of the IM. For 2:00, weaker backstrokers perform scull-scull-stroke (two sculls on the right side + a right-hand stroke and switch to the other side) while weaker breaststrokers do 3 kicks-1 pull drill. A wrench bang on the side of the pool signals swimmers to switch to the second set of instructions for 1:30. A second wrench bang signals the start of the :30 rest and swimmers proceed to the nearest wall. The fast 75 works on transition turns and we specifically are trying to improve our back-breast crossover turn.

-Only had 90 minutes on this particular day so things were a bit more condensed than normal. Was fortunate enough to have a couple of college guys back to train with my best 14 & under flyer. The goal was for her to do the set without breaking stroke and preparing for a great 200 fly without doing a TON of fly.

-The Short fins set was the speed work for the day, with the mindset of finishing a 100 fly really fast (fins were there to ensure holding stroke after the main set, aside from generating max speed). The underwaters were a hypoxic recovery and a mental challenge to use a whole body kick after the 100s on both rounds.

– This was a good workout for the guys and an awesome challenge she rose up to on that day (not a typical daily workout, we were going into winter break, I believe there was no full day of school afterwards so she could recover fully). She channeled this memory about a month later into a PR in the 200 fly by about 5 seconds.

This was a great set for determining the “mental state” of my senior swimmers. I also did a shorter, easier version with my age-groupers later in the day. I did it as an evening practice for my seniors, which gave them extra motivation to push themselves!

Goal yardage (depending on the ability of the swimmers and duration of the workout): 6500 yards

Rules:

1. You have 15 minutes do get in as many repeats as possible. Count your repeats. (Coach records them)

2. You MUST take the specified rest.

3. You determine how much effort you put in.

4. Once you reach your goal yardage, you warm down 300 yards and you are done.

This drill was recommended to me by Griff Helfrich, one of our assistant coaches. It is designed to help a swimmer set up and execute a breast or fly turn correctly with maximum rotational speed. I’ll call it Triple Turn drill.

The explanation is simple enough: when the swimmer approaches the wall, he or she executes three consecutive open turns. During the first two, the swimmer does everything but the push-off, then reloads the body for another turn. On the third one, the swimmer pushes off the wall as normal.

When executing the Triple Turn, the swimmer must pay attention to several technical elements – a strong knee drive, swift compact arm action, and driving the head straight back into an agressive streamline to depart the wall.

This drill could be performed in the middle of any breast, fly, or IM set, or could be done with the swimmer beginning from a prone kicking position and initiating the Triple Turn on command or on a whistle.

Here is a brief look at one of our swimmers, senior Bryce Mendes performing the Triple Turn during a breaststroke set.

20 x 25 @ :20 (for swimmers with best times 5:40 or faster) or @ :25 (for swimmers with best times 5:40 – 7:00) or @ :30 (for swimmers with best times >7:00)

Every 25 has the same breathing pattern. Always flip and put feet on the wall. Coach times and records each 25. Give swimmers a longer cool down after the set and add up the times. For best results, figure out each swimmer’s 500 pace (to the 10th of a second) per 25 before starting the set to give them a specific goal.